Bad Decisions

• Chelsea Curd, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2014

A few bad decisions were all it took for something to go wrong, like a piece of string from a jumper. Little choices or mistakes like forgetting her keys or leaving her phone at home, pulled at the thread of her path. Maybe if she had picked a definite time to meet with Lexie, she would be giggling her way down the street. Instead, she was crouching behind a sheet covered couch that smelt like mice while her fear pounded in her ears. When Charlotte had walked into the old Fuller house to wait for Lexie, she hadn't suspected the cheerful blue house to hold anything other than dust and musty old furniture. Of course, no one would. It had been empty for little over a year, with old man Fuller finally retired. She dared to peek over the couch and scan the bright living room. Sunshine filtered through the white curtains that brushed the floors, which ordinarily would have calmed her. Almost nothing seemed quite as scary when the light of day shone. Almost. Charlotte slowly stood up, hoping that her sneaker-ed feet wouldn't make any noise. To her right, a door opened to the little kitchen. Keeping close to the ground, her chestnut hair hanging, she scuttled to the kitchen. “Why couldn't you leave me alone?! ”Charlotte squeaked in fear as the woman’s hoarse voice shouted and dived behind the kitchen door. She scraped her bare knees against the tiles in her rush and they started to bleed sluggishly. ‘Crud’ was all she had time to say before the woman stalked into the kitchen, a bat in her hand. Charlotte once again held her breath, internally screaming at herself. Stupid! Why hadn't she just taken her phone?! As she berated herself, the woman, who was no more than 4 ft, looked behind the door that Charlotte was kneeling behind. Charlotte stared up, her muscles freezing. The woman was dressed in filthy clothes and fury tightened her thin mouth. She lifted the bat over her head. “All I wanted was to be alone!” She yelled. Charlotte’s heart gave a painful thump and the need to survive rushed through her veins. Charlotte jumped up, her knees wobbling, and stepped around her, almost tripping over the woman’s bare feet. She screamed and swung the bat, only to stumble as it passed through the empty air. Charlotte had already run into the hallway, panic clouding her thoughts into a jumble. She looked up and down the hallway five times before realizing that the front door was to her right. Relief rushed through her and she almost fell into the wooden door. Knowing that the woman was behind her, Charlotte pulled it open. Her sweaty palms almost couldn't grip the handle. Wind brushed Charlotte’s tangled hair. She paused for a moment and she saw Lexie standing on the pavement. Lexie looked up at Charlotte, opening her mouth to call. It was too late. Charlotte had made her last bad decision. The bat swung.